


Dropping In

by oh_simone



Series: tales from the golden age of livejournal [4]
Category: The Chronicles of Chrestomanci - Diana Wynne Jones, xxxHoLic
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-21 09:50:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6047179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oh_simone/pseuds/oh_simone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yuuko and Watanuki entertain a bureaucratic house call from an inter-dimensional guest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dropping In

**Author's Note:**

> Written 2009. Don't ask me to clarify any canonical references; I can honestly say I barely remember the main plots of the original material...

The witch paused mid-sip of her sake; that was all the warning her household got before the sound of brisk footsteps carried faintly through the open doorway.

“A customer?” Watanuki asked, climbing to his feet and starting for the door.

“Hn,” Yuuko replied and remained seated. She finished her drink, and set her cup down just as Watanuki's mangled English greeting reached her ears.

The boy stepped back into her presence, looking nervous. “It’s a foreigner! And he’s dressed strangely,” he hissed, and then shut up and retreated into the kitchen, muttering with agitation, “what do they eat?!” Following behind him at a much more relaxed pace was a dapper gentleman, tall and thin and black haired. His features were blandly handsome and his carriage was all laconic elegance. He wore an outrageous dressing gown that few others could have pulled off. Somehow, on him, purple paisley seemed a good idea.

Yuuko smiled and lazily pulled herself into a more upright position. “Mr. Chrestomanci,” she greeted with a toothy smile. He raised a perfect black eyebrow in reply.

“Yuuko-san,” he replied dryly in English-tinted Japanese. “It is, as always, a pleasure.”

“Well, well. This is unexpected,” Yuuko observed. “You rarely collect reports in person. Watanuki,” she turned to the boy who had just returned with a tray of tea and cookies. “Go into my office; there’s a black folder on the sidetable, bring it please.”

As he hurried into the back rooms, the two adults watched him silently, then simultaneously met each others' gazes.

“That's the boy, then?” the Chrestomanci finally said, sounding bored, but his eyes were shrewd. “They look alike.”

Yuuko laughed. “It depends on who you’re comparing him to,” she said, amused. “But yes. They do.”

The look Chrestomanci gave her then was rather sharp, but nothing more. “It’s lucky you’re here to intercede on his behalf,” he said wryly. “A boy like that, with his circumstances, running around unschooled and unchecked could be quite the inter-dimensional event.”

“Lucky you,” Yuuko retorted silkily, “Watanuki is not that type of child, unschooled or not.”

The ensuing stare down was interrupted by Watanuki carrying the black folder back into the room. Yuuko waved towards her guest, and Watanuki handed the folder to him. With a curt word of thanks, Chrestomanci rifled quickly through the contents with a distracted air that conveyed ‘thank god I can hand these off later’. He paused briefly at one particular document, his eyes flickering to Watanuki inscrutably before snapping shut the folder.

“Everything good?” Yuuko drawled sardonically. He neatly sidestepped her baiting and gave a little nod.

“The forms are in order,” he said, mildly grudging. “I suppose as long as you keep to your end, there shall be no complaints from us.”

“Wonderful,” the witch crowed and toasted him with her cup. “And now, Christopher, won’t you join me for a drink? Let’s say for old time’s sake, hm?”

“I’m afraid I must decline,” the Chrestomanci said politely. “I’ve some matters to settle in Series Four before I return for Millie’s family dinner.”

“A pity,” Yuuko said feelingly, but her fingers tightened triumphantly on the bottle. “I shall drink your share then, Chrestomanci.”

“I have no doubt you will,” the sorcerer said dryly, eyeing Watanuki who was grimacing at his boss. “Until next time, Yuuko-san.”

And then, he simply disappeared. Watanuki spluttered in surprise, while Yuuko snorted and topped up her drink.

“Ignore him,” she ordered the boy. “He’s just showing off.”


End file.
